OVERVIEW: Grubb, age twelve (or thereabouts), has
never known anything beyond his miserable existence as a chimney sweep, paid
only in insults and abuse by his cruel master.

All of that changes the day he stows away in the coach belonging to a
mysterious guest at the inn that he is tasked with cleaning. Grubb emerges from
Alistair Grim's trunk and into the wondrous world of the Odditorium. Fueled by
a glowing blue energy that Grubb can only begin to understand, the Odditorium
is home to countless enchanted objects and an eccentric crew that embraces
Grubb as one of their own.

There's no time for Grubb to settle into his new role as apprentice to the
strange, secretive Mr. Grim. When the Odditorium comes under attack, Grubb is
whisked off on a perilous adventure. Only he can prevent the Odditorium's magic
from falling into evil hands-and his new family from suffering a terrible fate.

Grubb knows he's no hero. He's just a chimney sweep. But armed with only his
courage and wits, Grubb will confront the life-or-death battle he alone is
destined to fight.

FORMAT: Alistair Grim's Odditoriumis the
first book of a children's fantasy series. It has a mix of everything in it
from action, adventure, sci-fi, steampunk, supernatural, enchanted characters,
mythology, a London setting, and a little mystery.

Alistair Grim's Odditorium stands at 432 pages and was published
January 6, 2015 by Disney-Hyperion.

ANALYSIS: What if
you added a steampunk/gothic flair to Harry Potter and threw in some magical
creatures like from Beauty and Beast? What would you get? I would say you get
the Odditorium
series. Now, before you rush off and chalk this up as just another
Harry Potter/children's fantasy knockoff book, let me tell you it is anything
but that.

The minute I started reading Alistair Grim's Odditorium,
I knew I was in for a treat. There is just something magical about the writing
style, the characters, and the pace of the book. It practically pulls you in
and before you know it the book is over and you have to wait until the next one
is released.

One of my biggest concerns with Alistair Grim's Odditorium
was that it would become a pure mess. The overview promised a lot. There was a
promise of dragons, mythology, magical creatures like banshees, a powerful
magical force, wizards, witches, and a steampunk-like house. That is certainly a
lot of elements that can turn into a mess when not handled properly, but
luckily it was handled with care.

It is surprising with all the elements that are actually
present within the novel that there was such a simple feel to the book. Even
though Gregory Funaro introduces a
lot of things it is done at a pace that – for the reader – is easy to keep up
with and maintain. Characters were slowly introduced and developed, which kept
them memorable.

There also was a 'main cast' that stayed consistent
throughout the book. Some secondary characters were introduced, but for the
most part the main cast was involved in all, or most of, the activities. This
made it really easy to remember who people were, what their background story
was, and really relate to them.

Another element of Alistair Grim's Odditorium that
really helped was the pacing of the novel. The novel was fast paced with a lot
of action, but there were detailed elements thrown in. There was a whole
backstory that was revealed, the characters' stories were told, and everyone
developed a personality. Considering how fast and action-packed the novel was
it was surprising so much could be jammed into the book and not turn into
something that was confusing or just plain junk.

Overall, I loved Alistair Grim's Odditorium. I loved
the magical watch character, found Grubb likeable and someone I really wanted
to learn more about, and really was just invested in the entire story. I can't
wait to see where the series goes. There was a lot thrown in at the end that
left me waiting anxiously for the next novel. The author is extremely talented
and I just cannot wait to see what happens.

If you are looking for a good read that isn't overly
complex, give Alistair Grim's Odditorium a try. It is sure to be a delight
for anyone who likes children's fantasy books and is looking for something that
is a little out of the norm.

2
comments:

You're right that the description makes it sound like everything but the kitchen sink! And the runaway abused servant is an overly familiar character. But if it's handled well, as you say it is, then it sounds like it will be worth picking up.